What do car warning lights mean? Here's an overview
Many people get scared when a warning light comes on on their car dashboard – but what does it really mean? And when should you stop the car?
Warning lights are an important way to let the driver know if there is something wrong with the car. If you don't know why a warning light is coming on, it's easy to get scared - and it's hard to know whether you need to stop the car or can you continue driving.
Cars have different warning lights, but all car models have standard warning lights for things like the engine and brakes. All car warning lights are described in more detail in the car's owner's manual.
Previously, warning lights only told you what was wrong, but modern cars have a display on the dashboard, where fault information is often displayed in text format.
Generally speaking, red warning lights mean that you need to take action immediately. If a yellow warning light comes on, taking action can wait for some time. The colors of the warning lights (yellow and red) may vary depending on the car manufacturer.
Green or blue warning lights are usually just informational, so no action is required. They can indicate, for example, that the high beams are on.
Red warning lights
If you see a red warning light and don't know what it means, stop the car in the first safe place you come across and check the meaning of the warning light in the owner's manual.
Low oil pressure
The small lubricating oil can and the oil droplet bring to mind an old-fashioned lamp and its spirit, but this warning light must be taken seriously.
If the car's oil light is on, the car's oil pressure is too low, so you must stop driving as soon as possible. The cause may be too little oil in the engine or insufficient oil circulation in the engine. In the worst case, the engine can be completely destroyed if the engine is not turned off as quickly as possible.
Check the oil or call Viking Roadside Assistance so that we can inspect the car and, if necessary, take it to a service workshop.
Brake failure
A red circular warning light with an exclamation mark inside it could indicate a serious fault in the brake system – or that you have forgotten to release the handbrake before driving off.
Check that the handbrake is not on and check that the brakes are working properly when you can do so safely. The car should be checked by a workshop, even if the brakes appear to be working properly.
Engine cooling system warning light
A red temperature gauge indicates that the engine temperature is too high. This could be due to insufficient coolant or the radiator not cooling the engine properly.
Stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so, as an overheated engine can be seriously damaged and expensive to repair.
You can try to continue driving once the engine has cooled down, but it is recommended that you take the vehicle to a repair shop for inspection.
Battery not charged enough
A square warning light with a plus and minus symbol represents the car battery. It indicates that the battery is receiving power but not charging.
It is normal for this warning light to come on if the engine is not running, but if it remains on after the engine is started, the battery and charger need to be checked.
If you continue to drive with a battery that is not charging, you will notice quite quickly that the car will no longer start.
We can help you by checking the battery and replacing it on site if it is damaged.
Seatbelt not fastened
Most modern cars have sensors in their seats that detect whether someone is sitting in the seat and whether they are wearing a seatbelt. This warning light comes on if someone has forgotten to fasten their seatbelt. This is often accompanied by a repeated beep.
Seat sensors usually detect weight, so they can be triggered even if no one is sitting in the seat. This could be heavy shopping bags, for example. Move them to the trunk. Then they will not pose a danger in the event of a crash.
At least one door or hood is open
If this warning light comes on, stop the car and check that all doors, the hood and the trunk lid are properly closed. Sometimes the doors only lock halfway. In this case, they can open when driving at high speed.
If the warning light comes on because the bonnet is not properly locked, the danger is particularly great. The wind can catch under the bonnet while driving and force it open. This can cause damage - but the worst thing is that you suddenly lose your forward visibility. If this warning light comes on, stop the car and find out why it came on.
General warning
A red triangle and an exclamation mark warn of faults that do not have their own icon. The cause may be a serious fault, but this varies from car to car.
Often it is a minor fault that needs attention. In most modern cars, this symbol is accompanied by text that explains the cause of the fault.
There is also a warning light with a yellow triangle. It often works in the same way as the warning light with a red triangle, but it often warns of less serious things that need to be taken into account. There can be a number of reasons, from low washer fluid to a car that is due for regular maintenance. If the warning light with a yellow triangle comes on, text will usually also appear explaining the reason for it.
Yellow warning lights
Yellow warning lights vary in meaning, but they usually indicate that something needs to be checked. For example, certain systems may be on or off. This usually won't cause any damage to your car in the short term, but if this warning light comes on, it's a good idea to take your car to a repair shop for a check-up to avoid problems in the long term.
Low Fuel
Most drivers probably know why this light comes on, but many get stressed when it comes on.
It’s smart to fill up your car as quickly as possible, but most cars have 5-10 liters of fuel left when this warning light comes on. That’s why you can usually drive at least 50 kilometers before the fuel tank is completely empty.
Engine warming up
This warning light usually comes on when you turn on the ignition of a diesel car. It eventually goes out. This is because a diesel engine needs to warm up before it can be started. Therefore, the outside temperature will affect how long this light stays on.
Wait until this warning light has gone out before you try to start a diesel car. Of course, the engine will eventually start even if you don't wait long enough, but it will be harder to start and in the long run, the engine may wear out more.
Worn brake pads
Some modern cars have a sensor that indicates when it's time to replace the brake pads. When it's triggered, this warning light comes on, letting you know that it's time to schedule an appointment with a repair shop to have your brake pads replaced.
You don't usually need to do this right away. When this light comes on, you should schedule an appointment right away, but you can drive your car while you wait for the service.
Diesel Particulate Filter Fault
This warning light indicates that the diesel particulate filter in a modern diesel engine is not working properly.
This is often caused by the particulate filter becoming clogged due to frequent short journeys. In this case, the problem can be corrected by “blowing the particulate filter clean” by driving at a slightly higher speed for a sufficient period of time to allow the engine to warm up properly.
If this does not help, the particulate filter must be checked by a workshop.
Rear fog light on
Fog lights are useful in fog or heavy rain when visibility is very poor, but at other times they can be annoying and, in the worst case, dangerous to traffic.
If you see this light on your dashboard, consider whether visibility is so poor that drivers behind you need to see your fog lights. On some cars, the button for this light is easy to remove. Do this if you don't need this light at all.
Traction control on/off
On many cars, this symbol means two things: If it flashes while driving, the system is actively working to prevent the car from skidding or the tires from losing grip on the road surface while driving. In this case, slow down and pay attention to the conditions.
If this warning light is on continuously, the system is not in use. You may have pressed the deactivation button, but it could also be due to a fault. In this case, the car should be taken to a workshop for inspection.
ABS system disabled
ABS allows you to fully depress the brake pedal without having to worry about the wheels locking up.
If the ABS indicator light is on, the ABS system is not working properly. You can drive the car, but use extreme caution and have the car checked by a repair shop as soon as possible.
Low tire pressure
All modern cars have tire pressure sensors that detect changes in tire pressure. If this warning light comes on, the car thinks the tire pressure has changed.
Stop at a service station and check that all four tires are in the correct pressure (the correct tire pressure can be found in the owner's manual or on the inside door panel). If the tire pressure is correct, the system may have tripped due to large temperature fluctuations. These will affect the readings.
General Engine Fault
This warning light is of no use to us average drivers – it simply indicates that the car needs to be serviced. The yellow engine warning light can come on for a number of reasons, and the severity varies.
Generally, driving your car home or to the service station with this light on will not cause any problems – as long as you can drive the car as normal.
Low washer fluid level
This warning light usually comes on in the fall and spring. It simply means that you need to add washer fluid.
The amount of washer fluid remaining varies by car model, but it is usually a good idea to stop at a gas station to buy some as soon as possible.
Green and blue indicator lights
If you see green or blue indicator lights on your dashboard, there is usually no need to worry. They usually mean that you have turned on your high beams, for example. In other words, they are just providing information to the driver – meaning you don’t need to book a service appointment.
High beam on
If you see this symbol on your dashboard but you haven't consciously turned on your high beam, turn it off as soon as possible. Modern high beam headlights can be annoying and, in the worst case, blind oncoming traffic, even in broad daylight.
Low beam on
Many modern cars have DRL lights. This means that the headlights are not on during the day. They only come on when it is dark. That is why this indicator light usually only comes on when you are driving into a tunnel and/or it is dark outside.
Lane Assist
The appearance of this indicator light varies by car model, but generally a green light means that your car's lane keeping assist is helping you stay between the lane markings – and that the car knows where they are.
Low outside temperature
This indicator light warns of the risk of ice on the road due to the drop in outside temperature. This indicator light (or equivalent) usually comes on when the outside temperature drops below 4 degrees.
